The Origins of the Vietnam War

Question 1

What was the name of the tribe that settled in Vietnam?

Answer 1

Viet

Question 2

Upon what type of work was the tribe based?

Answer 2

Agriculture

Question 3

What nation is Vietnam’s traditional enemy?

Answer 3

China

Question 4

What nation sent troops to conquer Vietnam in 1850?

Answer 4

France

Question 5

How did the Industrial Revolution help the European Nations conquer the nations of Asia and Africa?

Answer 5

Gave the European nations with weapons far greater than those that Asia and Africa possessed.

Question 6

What reasons might European nations have had to conquer colonies?

Answer 6

To make money from their colonies, to spread empire and gain power and to spread Christianity.

Question 7

Ho Chi Minh joined the Communist Party in 1920. Why was he attracted to communism?

Answer 7

He thought that Communism would give the best chance for Vietnam to be free of French rule.

Question 8

What Asian country occupied Vietnam during WWII?

Answer 8

Japan

Question 9

What political group did Ho Chi Minh organise in 1941?

Answer 9

Vietminh

Question 10

When Ho Chi Minh formed the Democratic Republic of Vietnam he wrote a new constitution. Which country’s constitution did he use as a model?

Answer 10

America

Question 11

What event started the fighting between the French and the Vietminh?

Answer 11

The French wanted to regain control of Vietnam whilst the Vietnamese people were desperate to keep their independence, which led to conflict between both sides.

Question 12

What areas of Vietnam did the Vietminh control?

Answer 12

Almost all the rural areas of Vietnam were under Vietminh control, especially near northern parts of Vietnam.

Question 13

Why did President Truman support French efforts to regain control of Vietnam?

Answer 13

Whilst America was not a big fan of imperialism, at the time France was a major ally of USA, and their anti communist beliefs in the European areas were keeping Europe democratic, so whilst they didn’t officially take a side, Truman did support France.

Question 14

What did Truman do to help the French in Vietnam?

Answer 14

He sent very large sums of money to France in fear that France would be unable to continue fighting in the war.

Question 15

Who was Bao Dai?

Answer 15

Bao Dai was a Vietnamese Monarch who was put in charge of the government by France, hoping he could rally some support for French rule.

Question 16

Why did the Vietnamese people not like Bao Dai?

Answer 16

It backfired on him when the Vietnamese just saw him as a puppet for the French. He had little real power and was disregarded of any titles or authority.

Question 17

What was the name of President Eisenhower’s theory that seemed to prove the importance of Vietnam to the US?

Answer 17

Domino Theory

Question 18

At what location were the French forces defeated by the Vietminh in a major battle?]

Answer 18

Dien Bien Phu

Question 19

The Geneva Accords resulted in a division of Vietnam into northern and southern halves. Name one of the leaders of either North or South Vietnam?

Answer 19

Ho Chi Minh was the leader of the Northern area of Vietnam, and Ngo Dinh Diem was the leader of the South.

Question 20

According to the Geneva Accords, what was to take place in Vietnam in 1956?

Answer 20

Elections which would unify the whole country were to take place in Vietnam in 1956.

Question 21

Many Americans were sent by Eisenhower to assist Diem. What did the advisors do?

Answer 21

They knew that Ho Chi Minh was much more popular than Diem and would easily win in an election. They called off the election which violated the Geneva Accords. Eisenhower sent many civilian and military advisors to train the South to stand against the invasions coming in from North Vietnam.

Question 22

Diem was unable to become a successful leader. Name 2 reasons why this is true.

Answer 22

He used repressive tactics to stay in power and his soldiers regularly terrorised the countryside. Suspected communists were tortured and shot without trial, and he did nothing for the benefit of his own people. He viewed Vietnam as a puppet for America.

Question 23

What were conditions like in North Vietnam?

Answer 23

The repressions were worse than those in the south. Many North Vietnamese people fled for the South. Agricultural lands were redistributed by force. Many Vietnamese Catholics were being persecuted, but Ho Chi Minh still remained more popular as he fought for the independence of Vietnam.

Question 24

How did the VietMinh react to the news that the elections had been cancelled?

Answer 24

They were ready for open warfare

Question 25

What was the name of the group of South Vietnamese who rebelled against Diem’s government?

Answer 25

Vietcong

Question 26

How did the North Vietnamese help the revolt in the South?

Answer 26

The Vietminh helped the Viet Cong revolt by sending support materials through the Ho Chi Minh trail.

Question 27

What did President Kennedy believe that the South Vietnamese government needed to do to defeat the rebels?

Answer 27

They needed to gain popularity and build a stronger government.

Question 28

In 1963 what religious group criticised Diem and then was persecuted by him?

Answer 28

The Vietnamese Buddhists, because Diem was Catholic so he was favouring the minority of Catholics.

Question 29

Who overthrew Diem’s government in 1963 and then executed him?

Answer 29

His own generals